The Best of 2012: Features

2012 was an exciting year for the creative industries. The London 2012 Olympics showcased a wealth of creative talent, new technologies such as Arduino and 3D printing pushed the boundaries of what we consider 'digital design', and the industry as a whole found itself more resilient to the recession than others. But there may be trouble ahead if the UK government downgrades creativity and computing in its planned revision of the GCSE.

Here we bring together the ten most-popular in-depth features from 2012 – plus one heartwarming story that will bring a smile to your face that'll still be there come the New Year.

What's the creative legacy of the London 2012 Olympics?

Leading designers, illustrators, creative directors and VFX supervisors reflect on the creative legacy of the London 2012 Olympics (image above)

Does nationality affect creativity?

Inside Britain's 5 best creative studios

Five agencies of all sizes tell Alice Ross what makes up their design DNA

Mat Dolphin's Tom Actman tells potential clients why they should avoid 99designs

Tom Actman from London based design company, Mat Dolphin, voices his opinion on websites that offer rock bottom prices for graphic-design work.

Interview: Founder of #includedesign campaign to save Britain from a creative education crisis

We interview Joe Macleod from ustwo, a driving force behind the campaign supported by the likes of Jonny Ive (above) to get design included in the government's EBacc plans.

3D Printshow report: What are the opportunities for artists and designers from 3D printing?

We sort through the jumble of ideas and tech that is affordable 3D printing to find out what it offers to you.

How to predict future design trends

Bill Gardner reveals what he thinks the next set of trends will be in logo design

Why Don't You? – 50 project briefs from leading creatives to inspire your next project

Laura Snoad asks the world’s best graphic and interactive designers, illustrators and animators to set briefs to inspire your next project. Here are their inspired suggestions.

Create innovative interactive paper apps by mixing graphic design and printed electronics

Conductive inks you can screenprint or litho print offer a whole new world of creative possibilities.

Push the boundaries of digital design using projection-mapping, Arduino, Microsoft Kinect & more

Michael Burns suggests how you can push the boundaries of digital design using projection-mapping, Arduino, Microsoft Kinect & more

3D printing used to create exoskeletons that help disabled children walk and feed themselves

A heartwarming story of how 3D printing can be used to change children's lives.